Wall tool chest



IApril 11, 1950 c. E. HODGKINS WALL TOOL CHEST Filed Dec. '7, 1945 CaHZe-EHo `latentecl' pr. ll,

WALL 'rooL CHEST."

Charles E. Hodgkins, Allston, Mass., assignor to Lawrie L. Witter, Boston, Mass.

Application December 7, 1945, Serial No. 633,288

1 Claim.

. that will serve both such functions.

My invention contemplates a tool supporting shelf adapted to be secured to the Iwall within easy reach of the operator and provided with means for receiving and supporting the tools. Also cooperating with the shelf is a housing that can be applied to the shelf and enclose the tools against loss. The housing can be locked in enclosing position on the shelf or can be completely removed to allow free access to the tools. Preferably the chest is made from sheet metal and is provided with interengaging guideways for receiving and supporting the housing on the shelf. 'Ihe production of a new and improved wall tool chest of this nature comprises a further object of the invention.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the fol lowing description of a preferred embodiment thereof selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved tool chest,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and

` Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional plan taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the drawing I indicates a tool supporting shelf preferably in the form of a sheet metal stamping. The shelf comprises a horizontal forwardly extending portion I2 provided with tool receiving holes I4 therethrough and an integral upwardly extending flange or -bracket portion I6 at the rear for engaging against a wall I8. The portion IB is provided with screw-receiving holes therethrough for screws 20 which secure the shelf to the wall. The holes I4 are of varied sizes and configuration to accommodate different tools permitting the handles of the tools I to extend downwardly through the holes as illustrated. The shelf will ordinarily be mounted on a wall adjacent to the work bench whereby to support the tools within easy reach of the workman. It will also be noted that the shelf is entirely open and permits free access to the tools.

My invention also contemplates a housing 22 for cooperating with the shelf and protecting the (Cl. B12-113) tools against loss and exposure when they are not being used. The housing illustrated comprises a sheet metal unit having a front wall 24, a top wall 26 and end walls 28, all in one piece integral or otherwise. The ends 30 of the shelf I2 are bent upwardly and inwardly to form guideways for receiving outwardly extending flanges 32 on and extending along the bottom edges of the end walls 28, whereby the housing can be slid forwardly on and in interlocking engagement with the shelf I2. The depth of the housing corresponds with the width of the shelf so that the open rear side of the housing is disposed against the wall I8 when the housing is slid to its rearmost position. In Fig. 2 the housing is illustrated in an intermediate position. A lock 34 mounted on the housing, as by a plate 36 welded thereto, is provided with a bolt 38 for engaging in a slot 40 in the shelf, the lock being operated by a removable key 42. The lock provides means for securing the housing against unauthorized removal.

It will now be apparent that my invention provides a wall supported tool chest having a removable housing adapted to protect tools against loss and also providing an open tool supporting shelf convenient to the work bench when the housing is removed. The holes I4 through theshelf I2 permit the supporting of long handled tools in the chest and requires only suii'icient housing capacity to care for the heads of the tools. Furthermore the downwardly extending handles permit the workman to see at a glance what tools are in the chest even when the housing is in place. It will also be noted that the housing not only prevents removal and loss of the tools but also prevents removal of the housing by preventing removal of the screws 20 that support the housing on the wall.

Having thus disclosed my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A wall tool chest comprising a relatively long sheet metal shelf with an upturned ange at one of its long edges, the flange being perforated to receive screws for securing the shelf in horizontal position to a wall and the shelf having holes therethrough for the passage of the handles of tools supported on the shelf, said holes being of a size to permit downward passage of the handles therethrough but too small to permit passage of the relatively larger heads on the handles, a sheet metal housing having top, front and end walls, the top wall being of an area commensurate with the shelf, means providing interengaging guide- 3 Ways on the ends of the shelf and housing for permitting forward-rearward sliding engagement of the housing into interlocking contact with the shelf and with the housing disposed above the shelf, the guideways permitting forward-reenn ward movement of the housing toward and from said wall into a position disposed over and cov ering the shelf and removal of the housing from the shelf, and means for locking the housing in said positiomthe shelf being 'dapted to support 1o said tools'vth'the heads thereofrestingvon the shelf at said holes and inaccessibly enclosed within the locked housing.

CHARLES E. HODGKINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 551,316 Hutchinson Dec. 10, 1885 675,576 Smith June 4, 1901 v1,279,374 Levinson ,T 1 Sept. 17, 1918 1,694,941 Hill Dec. 11, 1928 1,727,176 Phillips Sept. 3, 1929 2,028,694 Spinks Jan. 21, 1936 

